Teen Reviews
We tasked some of SA's music-loving teens to share their honest thoughts on a mixed bag of songs that have soundtracked bygone eras. Meet the next generation of Adelaide music reviewers!
Childish Gambino – ‘Redbone’
"Awaken, My Love!" (2016)
GLASSNOTE RECORDS
Childish Gambino’s ‘Redbone’ is a swampy, introspective burp from California’s mudslides. Listeners will be easily disillusioned by the swampy bass and coerced by the vocals. Inner voices bicker, question, and hiss lines of obfuscation – “My peanut butter chocolate cake with Kool-Aid” – and calls to action – “But stay woke!”. The track becomes viscerally confusing, building gradually to the villainous bridge, in which Childish Gambino asks, “How’d it get so scandalous?”, implying a sense of regret, hesitation and betrayal – feelings innate to the human experience. This track will make your head thump in frustration, uncertainty and bass-fuelled bliss.
Sounds like: A dirty unicorn squishy you discovered buried under woodchips at your local playground.
By Anouk Chapman
Bon Iver – ‘Skinny Love’
For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
JAGJAGUWAR
Bon Iver’s ‘Skinny Love’ is hard to listen to but in the best way. Singer-songwriter Justin Vernon’s emotional lyrics and soul- touching instruments take heartache to another level, the song’s simplicity only making the sadness worse.
Bon Iver seems to be writing about a relationship that is bound to end in separation. With lyrics such as “I tell my love to wreck it all / Cut out all the ropes and let me fall” almost begging to be set free from the partnership, you feel as if the narrator is hopelessly waiting for the breakup. ‘Skinny Love’ is depressing, but it’s beautiful because so many can relate.
Sounds like: A peaceful morning at a lake.
By Kailey Jaide
Radio Free Alice – ‘Johnny’
Polyester (2024)
INDEPENDENT
The refreshing 2024 song ‘Johnny’ by Naarm/Melbourne band Radio Free Alice sends us back to the peak of post-punk in the late 1970s. The smoky wing of eyeliner staring back at you in the bathroom mirror puts this song into perspective. The layering of guitars conveys the deep emotions of singer Noah Learmonth's yearning for friendship. With gritty drums and harsh bass, the three-and-a-half- minute song explores the charming anxiety of isolation when growing up. ‘Johnny’ has us consumed by the powerful embrace of Radio Free Alice and their new EP Polyester.
Sounds like: A hazy bathroom at a late-night party.
By Elio Sangster
Paramore – ‘All I Wanted’
Brand New Eyes (2009)
FUELED BY RAMEN
‘All I Wanted’ is the perfect rock song to play to people who don’t particularly listen to rock music. It’s a great track that somehow manages to leave the listener wanting more, the music itself feeling very emotional but still managing to fall flat.
Although there is a definite progression in dynamics throughout, the song doesn’t particularly seem like it goes anywhere. The technically impressive vocal performance does a lot of heavy lifting here, taking the song from being little more than merely another radio track to something much higher. It’s catchy yet somewhat bland. It’s a beautiful song that you can get stuck in your head, yet one that you can never particularly remember much of.
Sounds like: A lot of other songs you’ve heard before.
By Felix Midson
Spice Girls – ‘Wannabe’
Spice (1996)
VIRGIN
A fast-paced feminist statement is what the Spice Girls slam on the table in ‘Wannabe’. The pop group collaborate effectively and with flying colours, presenting the most famous song from their debut album. ‘Wannabe’ swells with a sense of summertime and love, mixed with powerful friendships that last a lifetime. Spice Girls creates a fun and dance-compelling track that’s sure to get you up on your feet and in the groove for feminism and pop-filled friendship.
Sounds like: A bubbly summertime atmosphere at a party.
By Claudia Rennie
Fontaines D.C. – ‘Starburster’
Romance (2024)
XL RECORDINGS
‘Starburster’ is the song the clergyman hears as the church collapses. The second track on Fontaines D.C.’s 2024 album Romance, ‘Starburster’ explores temptation and the imminent danger of desire through thunderous rhythm and panting vocals that are rushed and irritated like a panic attack. The synthetic production and nervous tremolo guitar create a discomforting soundtrack to the reality of modern autonomy. The band move seamlessly between dark imagery, smothered with self-talk and doubt, to a pensive bridge consisting mainly of strings. ‘Starburster’ is Fontaines D.C.’s exploration of modern temptation – will we drown in this “momentary blissness”?
Sounds like: An angry work dog biting at the heels of an exhausted sheep.
By Anouk Chapman
Florence + The Machine – ‘Dog Days Are Over’
Lungs (2009)
ISLAND RECORDS
Florence + The Machine’s ‘Dog Days Are Over’ is the bittersweet exhale of youth and the inhale of a new beginning. When Florence Welch’s powerful belt combines with her contradictory falsetto, it creates an emotional indie-folk hit that’ll be remembered for generations.
A truly DIY spirit peeks through, with drumming coming from hitting the studio walls and other backing instruments coming from producer James Ford and friends of the band. Though it can be argued that this may not be the greatest song written by Florence + The Machine, it will forever be a classic in indie history. Whether you’re happy or sad, this song is the perfect soundtrack to a run home in the rain, leaving those dog days behind and leaning into the start of a new life.
Sounds like: Stepping outside after a storm and hearing the birds sing.
By Zara Jones
Teen Spirit was produced in partnership between Carclew and The Note magazine, supported by the Government of South Australia via the Music Development Office (MDO), the Department for Education and Arts South Australia. Read the full magazine online here.
